Sometimes, the most disparate colours are put together and they just work. Colour consultant Samantha Bacon explains why colours you think are unlikely partners seem to fit together well, even if you don’t understand why.

Once you have a basic knowledge of colour theory, it’s easier to understand that one of the most interesting palettes is derived from a triadic scheme. Look at a colour wheel and take three colours that are equidistant in the spectrum. These will be quite diverse and at fi rst glance may look too different to complement each other at all. However, when placed together in a certain way, they naturally work and this trio is called a triadic scheme. Tonal values play a huge role in ensuring this type of scheme is harmonious and successful – meaning that each colour should have the same depth and brightness. Contemporary designs that include the three primary colours – red, yellow and blue – together in their brightest and purest forms are highly successful, but for a country style look, these hues should be softened. The image on this page demonstrates this triadic concept perfectly using the Hepburn range of designs from Warwick Fabrics. We see a deep greyed-down red combined with a leaf in olive green and a blue-grey colour on the walls. Red’s complementary colour is mid green but an olive green contains far more yellow – making it the perfect partner for a blue-grey shade. It’s important to ensure that one of the colours is dominant. For example, in this case, red really leads the scheme and as the blue is so muted with grey, it simply provides a sophisticated backdrop colour. The olive green in the leaves of the fabric is really just an accent. Simple black-painted furniture and plenty of fresh white in this palette ensures a very balanced look is achieved.